Game call

ABSTRACT

A call for imitating the sound of wild game having a resilient sound producing membrane in combination with two different sound controlling means.

[54] GA CALL V 2,833,086 5/1958 Johenniing ..46/l80 [76] Inventor: JammK. Morgan, R0. Box 688,

Jacksnn, 7 7 Primary Exammer-Lou1s G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-RobertF. Cutting [22] Flled' 1972 Attorney-William David Kiesel [21] Appl.No.: 232,709

' [57] f CT CC! ..46/1;7f6,34h6/5 A can for imitating the sound of wildg having a i 182 resilient sound producing membrane in combination withtwo different sound controlling means.

[56] References (Iited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 at: ,4 Drawing Figures2,560,895 7/1951 Roth ..46/l80 GAME CALL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1Field of the Invention This invention relates to a call for imitatingsounds of various wild game, and in particular the sounds of turkeys,geese, wood ducks and predators.

2. Prior Art Various game calls have been designed for imitating thesounds of wild game. Some require the rubbing of two objects together orturning of a crank. Others are constructed of an elastic piece stretchedon a rigid support which is designed to be placed wholly in the mouth ofthe caller. Still other type calls have been designed.

However, all of these calls are not wholly satisfactory for variousreasons, such as poor reproduction in the sound of the game beingcalled, the sound produced is not projected with good reproduction overfar distances, the game call is dangerous to the caller in that it canbe swallowed, or operation of the call requires to much motion which canscare the game being called.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention toavoid these and other prior art problems.

Accordingly, a first hollow cyclindrical drum having one open end andone partially open end is fitted snugly into a second hollowcyclindrical drum constructed of a sound absorbant material and havingboth ends open. Across the partially open end is stretched a resilientmembrane with the desired tautness to reproduce the sound of the gamebeing called.

More particularly the first drum will be thin tubing (e.g., light gagetin tubing, copper tubing, plastic tubing, etc.) with one end hollow andthe other end partially closed. The membrane is stretchable across thepartially open end so as to leave open a small slit in the end. Thefirst drum is then fitted into the second drum so that a portion of thedrum with the membrane protrudes above the second drum. The second drumis of a length such that a portion extends beyond the open end of thefirst drum and constructed of a material that will absorb much of thehigh pitch sounds produced by the passage of air through the slit.

A preferred feature of this invention is the use within the hollowportion of the second drum of a removable absorbant material having aconical shape with the narrow end provided with an opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is athree dimensional view of apreferred caller design of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along lines lI-III.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along lines IIIIII.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the absorbant material that is placed within thesecond drum.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION As is seen in FIG. 1 the caller101 comprises a flexible membrane stretched to the desired tautness andshape over the partially open end 104 of a first, thin cyclindrical drum103. The first drum 103 fits snugly against and partially in a seconddrum 105, which extends below the first drum.

The call is operated by blowing across membrane 102 and through opening106 which is formed by the membraneand the closed end portion 104 of thefirst drum. The passage of air through opening 106 results in soundbeing produced. I

To achieve the desired pitch and resonance necessary to imitate thesound of the particular game (e. g., turkey, goose, etc.) being calledit is preferred that the second cyclindrical drum 105 be constructed ofa material which dampens out high pitch sounds. This is particularlynecessary to achieve good sound imitation at distances greater thanyards when the amplitude of the high pitch sounds drowns out the deepresonance tones characteristic of most game such as turkeys, etc.Suitable material would include light woods having a porous fibrousstructure. Particularly suitable woods include mahogany, walnut ordouglas fir.

The amount of high pitched sound dampening needed depends not only onthe type of membrane used, but also the material out of which the firstdrum is constructed. Once the parameters have been set control of thedampening can be achieved by varying the material used in the seconddrum, as well as, the length the second drum extends below the firstdrum.

As seen in FIG. II the two drums are preferable concentric to oneanother. This allows more uniform sound production at greater distancesand dampening thus assuring greater consistency in calling.

The operation of the game call is more clearly seen by also referring toFIG. III. As stated hereinabove the membrane 102 is stretched across theupper, partially open end 104 of drum 103 whose other end is completelyopen. Drum 103 is then slipped into a second drum 105 and is preferableflush against the second drum. The second drum preferably has both endscompletely open. In this manner the vibrations set up in the first drumby the passage of air across membrane 102 and through opening 106 arekept at small amplitudes. In the case where the first drum 103 isconstructed of thin metal tubing the flush fit betweenthe two drumsinhibits the fomration of metallic (i.e,, high pitch) sounds. As is seenthe second drum is thicker and extends below the first drum the distancenecessary to achieve the desired pitch and resonance. As air passesbetween end portion 104 and membrane 102 a sound is produced which ischaracteristic of both the membrane and the end portion. Thus a varietyof sounds having various frequencies, pitch and resonance are produced.Generally the first drum will be constructed of metal and the membraneof a rubber-like material. In the particular embodiment where the seconddrum 105 is open at both ends variance of the emitting sound is easilyachieved by closing part of the open end extending below the first drum103.

This can be done by the person using the call putting his fingers acrossthe opening as he holds the game call. In cold, dry weather a preferredembodiment of this invention as seen in FIG. IV includes a soundabsorbant material 108 having a hole 109 preferably in the centerTurning back to FIG. 1 membrane 102 is placed across the open portion ofend 104 and temporarily secured in position by a rubber band beingplaced over membrane 102 forcing it into groove 107 cut into the seconddrum. If desired the membrane can then be permanently attached to thecall by taping, etc. The pur' pose of this securing is to prevent grossslippage of the membrane on the call. To prevent minute membraneslippage across the partially open end, an adhesive surface is appliedto the edges of drum 103 where contact is made with the membrane.Examples of suitable adhesives would include adhesive tape materials aswell as certain paints. It is also possible the adhesive surface couldbe created by forming a rough surface for contacting the membrane. Othermethods could also be applied as well as a combination of any of theabove.

EXAMPLE 1 In accordance with this invention a game call was constructedwherein the first drum was constructed of a light gage tin having adiameter of about 1 inch and a height of 1 inch. ()ne end was completelyopen and the other end was half open. The second drum was constructed ofone-eighth inch thick mahogany wood having an inside diameter of about 17% inch insuring a flush fit with the first drum which was inserted intothe second drum at a distance of 1 $6 inch resulting in the mahoganydrum extending seven-eighths inch before the tin drum. The membrane wasconstructed of thin rubber and stretched across the open portion of thetine drum end in a manner to form a cresent-shaped opening.

The call as constructed above was then tested for accuracy inreproducing a turkey call. The pattern created on an oscilloscope screenby a real turkey was established. The call was then used and an almostidentical pattern was recorded on the oscilloscope screen.

EXAMPLE 2 i The call as constructed in Example 1 was then tested atdistances of about yards. Again reproducibility of the turkey sounds wasestablished with a marked drop in the metallic sounds found in mostsimilar prior art game calls.

first drum extending out and beyond said second' drum; said second drumhaving an inner surface forming said inside diameter constructed ofsound absorbant material; and

. a resilient means which fits over said partially open end of saidfirst drum to form an opening which air may pass through, said resilientmeans being held firmly in place by securing means attached to said 2.fi gmc call according to claim 1 wherein said second drum comprises woodhaving a porous, fibrous structure.

3. A game call according to claim 2 wherein said wood is mahogany,walnut or douglas fir.

4. A game call according to claim 1 wherein said first drum isconstructed of non-porous, only slightly sound absorbant material.

5. A game call according to claim 4 wherein said first drum material isa metal or plastic.

6. A game call according to claim 1 wherein said first drum material isa light gage tin and said second drum material is mahogany, and whereinsaid second drum extends about seven-eighths inches below said firstdrum.

1. A game call which comprises: a. a thin hollow, first drum having oneend open and one end partially opened; b. a second hollow drum havingopen ends and an inside diameter large enough for said first drum to fitinto, said open end of said first drum fitting snugly partially downinto said second drum with a portion of said second drum protrudingbelow said first drum and said partially opened end of said first drumextending out and beyond said second drum; said second drum having aninner surface forming said inside diameter constructed of soundabsorbant material; and c. a resilient means which fits over saidpartially open end of said first drum to form an opening which air maypass through, said resilient means being held firmly in place bysecuring means attached to said call.
 2. A game call according to claim1 wherein said second drum comprises wood having a porous, fibrousstructure.
 3. A game call according to claim 2 wherein said wood ismahogany, walnut or douglas fir.
 4. A game call according to claim 1wherein said first drum is constructed of non-porous, only slightlysound absorbant material.
 5. A game call according to claim 4 whereinsaid first drum material is a metal or plastic.
 6. A game call accordingto claim 1 wherein said first drum material is a light gage tin and saidsecond drum material is mahogany, and wherein said second drum extendsabout seven-eighths inches below said first drum.